President Muhammadu Buhari has disclosed in a statement signed personally on Wednesday that after due consultations, the Federal Government has decided that henceforth June 12 will be celebrated as the Democracy Day which means June 12 would now replace May 29 as the Democracy Day.
He further stated that government has decided to award posthumously, the highest honour of the land, GCFR to late Chief MKO Abiola, the presumed Presidential winner of the June 12, 1993 annulled election.
Also, his running mate as Vice President, Amb. Baba Gana Kingibe will be invested with a GCON while the tireless fighter for human rights and the actualisation of June 12 elections and indeed for democracy in general, the Late Chief Gani Fawehinmi SAN, is to be awarded posthumously a GCON.
A former minister of aviation and one of President Buhari’s major critics has commended the President on the declaration via his twitter personal page.
He said ” I commend @MBuhari for announcing June 12th as our new Democracy Day. This is long overdue and I am pleasantly surprised. I also commend him for honoring Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12th 1993 presidential election, with the posthumous award of GCON.This is great news!”
I commend @MBuhari for announcing June 12th as our new Democracy Day. This is long overdue and I am pleasantly surprised.I also commend him for honoring Chief MKO Abiola, the winner of the June 12th 1993 presidential election, with the posthumus award of GCON.This is great news!
— Femi Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) June 6, 2018
In addition, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for this remarkable move. He said the motivation was right.
READ: 20 Nigerian writers make next stage of GTBank Dusty Manuscript Contest
However, In a swift reaction, Chief Abiola’s daughter, Wura also expressed her profound gratitude to Mr President through her twitter account for the honour conferred on her late father.
While the opposition sees this phenomenal move by Mr President as an opportunity to score political points, Lagos State Governor debunked this.
Mr Akinwumi Ambode praised the President for this declaration. He gave the commendation on Wednesday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Habib Aruna who described the development as a historic and symbolic moment in the nation’s political trajectory.
Mr Ambode said ” This is a welcome development. It is a historic moment in our nation and I join other Nigerians to commend President Buhari on this announcement.”
“By this move, he has done, he has done what previous administrations failed to do,” the governor added.
He annotated that the President’s action has depicted that he is a man of history and character.
Ambode also said such development has given a hope to the heroes of democracy as it confirms that their demise is not in vain.
